Less waste in the compost bin = less wasted money. Made with lots of love and spices ♥︎PRIVACY POLICY | ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT |As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This method was shared with me by a professional chef, and it’s so easy! 2. If any edible parts are still stuck to the core, you can just slice them off and use them, too. Place the skin side of the pepper down, and cut it into thin slices. Slice off the top stem. You might have to use a … Then, you simply use a sharp knife to make four slices where the natural indentations occur. Wash the pepper under cold running water before cutting it. BreakfastLunchDinnerSidesDessertAppetizers, Instant PotSlow CookerOne PotCasserolesGround BeefChicken. Use a sharp knife to cut off about 1/2 inch from both the bottom and the stem end. Keep the bag or container with your cut up bell pepper in your crisp drawer for 2-3 days. Use your hands to open up the pepper, almost like a flower. made it? This method is really quick and easy, so by learning this, you’ll become more efficient in the kitchen. Next, sit the pepper on its now-trimmed bottom (it should sit flat and stable since you trimmed it). If any fibrous white parts remain where the membrane was attached, just trim it away with a small paring knife. You can also cut off a half-inch on the bottom, too, but if you want to maximize the amount of pepper, it is absolutely OK to leave the bottom on. Turns out there is a right way to prep peppers…and it’s a lot easier than you’d think. Prepare the peppers. Begin by using a sharp knife to cut the stem and the end off. Slice the outside off in large chunks, slicing downward and being sure not to include any seeds in your slices. For thin strips (great for stir-fries), slice each quarter into thin strips across (NOT lengthwise). Set the cut segments off to the side of the cutting board. If you don’t know how to cut a bell pepper the right way, you’ll often end up with seeds all over the counter, weirdly uneven slices or, worse, a lot of the pepper wasted due to awkward cuts. ), pull out the flesh, ribs and seeds from inside the pepper. Next, with the knife aim away from you, run it around the inside of the pepper to remove the core and the pith. Rinse it off. Core: Place the pepper on the now-trimmed bottom and locate the membranes connecting the core with the bell pepper's outer flesh. Using the lines on the outside of the pepper as a guide, slice down the pepper so that the blade enters the pepper on one of the lines and exits the pepper on another line. To dice your pepper, take your sticks and slice them across to create perfect dice. Take each half and slice it into thin, evenly sized strips. Gently twist and pull the top of the pepper and the insides along with … Use a knife to slice off the very top (stem-end) and bottom of the bell pepper. Wash off a pepper by rinsing it under cool water, then dry. Diced: Lay the bell pepper on its side on a cutting board. Your email address will not be published. From the … Try not too slice off a thick part, only trim the pepper to remove the top stem and the knobbly bottom part. But while you may use them a lot in your meals, these veggies aren’t exactly the easiest to prepare. Voila! This makes it easier to remove the innards cleanly and smoothly. Now that you know how to cut bell peppers the right way, you have a ton of recipes at your disposal. I’ll show you a quick and easy way to slice bell pepper or capsicum if you live in Australia. Cut away the bell pepper flesh in four pieces, each with a … Place your cut up peppers in single layers on parchment-lined baking sheets without touching. Now I share my favorite foolproof family recipes here on Savory Nothings: Chef-approved, kid-vetted and easy enough for everyday home cooks like you and me! Use freshly sliced peppers in cooked recipes like Chicken Fried Rice, Unstuffed Peppers, Greek Chicken Kabobs or in a Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet. Step 4: slice or dice the pepper Jordana Colomby. Slices are also the starting point to dicing, which we will cover next. Required fields are marked *. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a3aa0e5ab920313a543baa170bf7079c" );document.getElementById("eaf5cf6258").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Nora! They are also delicious raw in dishes like Greek Pasta Salad, Shopska Salad or Pineapple Salsa! They’re also perfect for scooping up dips, hummus, and guacamole. To dice, slice into sticks and then slice sticks across to dice. Cutting the sections of membrane allow the pepper to splay open flat! The only thing you need for this are your pepper, a decent kitchen knife and a chopping board. Red, yellow, orange or green, bell peppers are a staple in a wide variety of delicious dinners, from stir-fries to cheesy casseroles. Now I share all my secrets to effortlessly great food here on my blog, bite-sized for home cooks just like me and you. Recipes from real home cooks, tested in our kitchens and delivered right to your inbox! Here’s how to chop and slice bell peppers. Lay the bell pepper walls flat and cut them into pieces roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches square -- about the same size as the meat on the kabobs, if you are using meat. Be sure to cut close to the meat of the veg to clean it of any stubborn pithy stuff. PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? Freezing Bell Peppers Slice or chop the bell peppers before freezing. It is bulbous and hollow inside, with a narrow core, bits of seeds, and connective membranes. Julienning Coarsely Download Article Cut the pepper in half lengthwise. If any seeds are left behind, simply turn the pepper upside down over the trash bin and shake to remove. As both a freelance lifestyle writer and editor for a national teen magazine, Amanda spends most of her time creating #content. Lay the pepper on its side and thinly slice into rings. The bottom of the bell pepper should be facing up. How To Cut Up A Bell Pepper . Step 7: Slice vertically Set the pepper upright on one end and use the tip of your blade to make one vertical slice on the side closest to you to open the pepper. They can’t be place in a dishwasher, so they need to be hand washed (and handled with care/kept away from children very well). You want to cut into the top around the stem without cutting the top off completely. Slicing rings. Begin by cutting off the stem, and then flip the bell pepper upside down. Then, repeat for the other 3 sides. Note: If you wanted to cut rings (I pretty much never do, but I thought I’d mention it), you would take a small paring knife at this point and carefully run it through the four membranes, then pull the core out. If … Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download. Wash the bell peppers and place on a cutting board. This sounds like way too many words for a pepper, but it’s really simple. This is where having the membrane part in the middle looks pretty and very professional! Learn more. Slice off the top of the pepper – This removes the stem without the difficulty of cutting through or … Ways to Enjoy Bell Peppers Julia Gilman. Your email address will not be published. To cut your pepper into strips, start by cutting the pepper down one side. Lay the pepper flat, skin side down, and slice into strips as thin or as thick as you’d like. Pro tip: Even if the peppers are pre-washed, it is best practice to give them another cleaning just to be safe. You will have the least amount of waste, because you will only discard the seedy core and the stem. We have two 10-year old Chef’s knives (the following are affiliate links and I make a commission for purchases made after clicking through), a similar one to this from Shun and this exact one from Kasumi (we have a full set of the Kasumi knives). Slice an onion in half lengthwise. You should only have to discard the white fibrous and seedy core, and the green stem. In order to avoid breaking the placenta or any seeds off from it, you want to cut along the capsaicin glands. Slice off the top and bottom and discard then run the knife around the inside to remove the unwanted core. Run the knife around the inside of the flesh to cut away the … Some seeds will scatter, but that’s what you need to do for pepper rings. Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine. 1. About Nora For diced pepper, slice each pepper half lengthwise, forming a total of four "quarters" per pepper. Don’t give up yet, though. When I got married to my professional chef husband, I realized I had to step up my game in the kitchen. In this video, I show you how easy it is to slice up a bell pepper Julienne cut style. Step 4: Cut off the top of the bell pepper just below the curve under the stem and expose the rib and seeds inside the pepper. Make sure you don’t slice the top/bottom too generously, you only just want to trim them. To make slicing easier the stem and seeds should be detached first. Truth be told, the professional chef who shared this method of cutting peppers with me… is my husband. Then, slice into the side of the bell pepper, revealing the center. Home / Kitchen Tips / How to Cook / How to Cut a Bell Pepper. Strips or Slices. Discard the stem and seeds. These tops and bottoms are edible and can be used as a quick snack or in another recipe where the shape/size of the … Follow our step-by-step tutorial below on how to cut bell peppers for less mess in meal making. Make sure to add a paper towel on top of the peppers to absorb any excess moisture. So, how to cut a bell pepper properly the way professional chefs do? Wash off a pepper by rinsing it under cool water, then dry. I always appreciate your feedback! Stand the pepper on its … Trim: Place the pepper on its side on a chopping board and trim off the top and bottom. Each cooking method requires a different shape, and, with a vegetable as oddly shaped as a pepper, it's not always obvious how to cut it uniformly. Slice down towards the cutting board this way and you should cut the side of the pepper right off. We use them every single day and they have held up extraordinarily well. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s a little more difficult to slice because you can’t lie the pepper fully flat (it’s slightly curved and laying it flat can break it in the middle). Stand a bell pepper upright and slice the outer walls of the pepper off of the stem and seeds. 3. Do not cut into the core, or you’ll make a mess. The challenge in cutting a bell pepper is turning this roundish fruit into nice, straight, flat, and consistent pieces, without wasting too much produce. I always cut from the inside of the pepper when I get to the slicing and dicing, because it’s way easier to slice through the skin from this side. Place a washed and dried bell pepper on a cutting board. You can then leave the strips as they are (use them in a dish like baked chicken fajitas or just serve them raw with hummus) or continue by lining up the strips and cutting across in rows, forming perfectly diced pieces. Using your fingers (yes, really! Slice off the bottom and top of the pepper, and pull out the stem. Now you're free of seeds and you can cut up your bell pepper however you please. How to Cut Bell Peppers – Step by Step. Set the leftover pepper aside to be cut up later. Slices: Cut two vertical slits through the flesh of the bell pepper. In cases where the pepper has been waxed; usually done to protect it from pests and rodents, scrub it gently but thoroughly with a natural brush. Lay the pepper on a cutting board and slice off the top of the pepper (the part with the stem), about a half-inch down. Cut similar sized pieces to help bell peppers cook evenly. Pickled bell peppers, anyone? Place the pepper on its side on the cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice it in half, lengthwise (from top to bottom). Cut off the bottom and turn on its side. Traditional Whole Peppers: The most traditional way to prep a pepper (like the kind your mom used to make) is to keep the pepper mostly whole.All you’re going to do is cut off the top, really. and are using a lot of fresh ingredients. Step 1: First Start by Cutting Off the Very End of the Pepper. You can easily dice the top and bottom, too. Freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours), then transfer to labelled and dated zip-top bags, press out any excess air and freeze for up to 6 months. Make sure not to cut the pepper in half—just slice through one side. for the quarters, you don’t need to do anything else – use them as low carb dippers for queso or chipotle mayo or to top with chicken salad! They're great raw on their own, cooked rapidly in stir-fries, or cooked down slowly for stews and soups. Lay the pepper on its side. I just want to be through with my explanation to make sure you can pull this off if you’re a beginner in the kitchen. Place each pepper half, skin side down, on the cutting board, and slice it into thin strips. Step 6: Slice off the other end of the pepper, just below where it curves, and set it aside. To cut a bell pepper into rings, you will still lay the pepper on its side on a cutting board and use your knife skills and a good knife to slice off about 1/2'' piece from the stem end and another 1/2″ inch from the bottom of the pepper, according to Feel Good Foodie.You can use those ends for snacking later or freeze them for later use. Take your quarters and slice each into 3-4 sticks lengthwise. Step 5: Pop the stem out of the top portion and discard it. No waste! But I love them and can’t imagine cooking very day without my knives. The pepper skin can be a little more difficult to cut, especially if you don’t have a super sharp knife. From there, cut out the white center piece, removing the seeds along with it. Mozzarella Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf. The lines of a pepper show you where the veins are inside the pepper. Thin strips can be diced to create small dice. And any time saved is always a win in my books. I use my left hand to hold the pepper piece together a little while slicing with my right hand. Bell peppers only freeze well … Below is a guide on how to cut bell pepper. Rinse and place the peppers onto a cutting board. A sharpened knife To start, cut the top and bottom of the pepper, removing the base and stem. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. They do need to be sharpened regularly, but we are terrible at this upkeep and the knives are still working very well. But you absolutely can, just slice into sticks (they won’t be even, but don’t worry about it too much) and then dice across. Remove the green stem part from the top/lid, then discard it along with the seedy core. start by cutting a thin slice off the stem end and the bottom of the pepper. Sign up for my email list, too! Store freshly cut bell peppers in an airtight container or in a zip-top bag. Chicken Potpie Galette with Cheddar-Thyme Crust, Chicken Quinoa Bowls with Balsamic Dressing, Chicken and Shrimp with Lemon Cream Sauce, Baked Monterey Chicken with Roasted Veggies, The Best Chocolate Cake Mix Brands According to Pro Cooks, How to Cook with Wine, According to the Experts, Do Not Sell My Personal Information – CA Residents. If you need small dice for a specific recipe, just cut the small strips as describe above, and then dice them across. It creates these double arched slices, and they do really look great. Bell peppers are in season right about...now. Most peppers have four membranes connecting the core to the outside flesh of the pepper. I wasn't always a good cook, but then I fell in love with a professional chef and learned my way around the kitchen. Whole bell peppers are not the most convenient shape when you need to end up with thin, even slices of pepper. Open the pepper and use the knife to remove the core; discard. Show off your knife skills with these recipes. Let’s look at a few different shapes to cut your pepper into. Lay the pepper halves on the cutting board, skin-side down, and use a sharp knife to thinly slice into strips. Remove the top stem by slicing off and throwing it away, setting the pepper … Bell peppers are a staple ingredient in recipes such as chili, fajitas, and stir-fries. The remaining pepper should resemble the … In a fluid motion, cut the top stem section of the pepper … tap the stars to add your rating! Cut the pepper in half vertically, and scrape out all of the seeds and membranes. Don't forget to dice the top and bottom as well, for as little waste as possible. Cutting peppers into strips is pretty straight forward once you get the stem and seeds out of the way. Wondering how to cut a bell pepper without wasting any of it, and without creating a huge mess with the seeds? Lay pepper on its side, and carefully roll the pepper with one hand, and cut the membrane with the other. Create an account for free to start your personal recipe box. Try to cut away the flesh in four pieces, each with a membrane roughly in the middle. Keep the blade tip on the cutting board while pushing the blade through the pepper. Easy! These thinner slices are perfect for stir-fries where you don’t want the large sticks! Save any recipe by tapping the heart in the bottom right corner. For a stir-fry or fajita, I'd suggest cutting the pepper in strips. Trim off the top and the bottom. Plus, learn how to best slice or dice your pepper for salads, dipping, stir-fries and more. In those (rare) moments when she's not at her desk typing furiously, she's likely teaching a hot yoga class, reading the latest chick-lit or baking a batch of her famous scones. Then cut through the top about half an inch in. Do I may be a tad biased, but truly, this is the post I have been wanting to write for 5 years because it is so exciting to me. First, you slice off the stem and place the pepper face-down on a cutting board. To slice into sticks, cut each quarter into 3-4 sticks lengthwise. Start by washing your pepper well, then place it on its side on a chopping board. Cutting a pepper this way leaves the core fully intact, so you will not have any mess with seeds sticking to your fingers, your cutting board, your knife, your kitchen counters… I used to despise cutting fresh peppers, and now it’s the quickest and easiest job, ever! I highly recommend investing in a Chef’s knife if you need to do a lot of cooking in your life (like having to feed growing children!) Slice off the sides as shown in the photo below. For me, these are the parts my kids usually come to grab and eat while I’m cooking, so I rarely use them in an actual recipe. Instead of slicing your pepper quarters lengthwise, slice them into thin strips across. (If you’re planning to dice the pepper, make larger slices.) To make rings, lay the whole pepper on its side on a cutting board. Another option is to use a small knife to cut around the inside edge of the pepper in a circular motion, detaching the ribs carefully from the actual pepper first.